Goa:In a first of its kind attempt, the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) has begun an extensive exercise to documents State’s tradable bio-resources from the ecosystem such as forest, agriculture and wetland, in a bid to conserve the biodiversity resources which are under threat.
The GBB through the UNEP-GEF-MoEF-ABS is working on “Strengthening the Implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and Rules, 2004 with focus on its Access and Benefit Sharing Provision (ABS)” project.
GSBB member secretary Pradip Sarmokadam said the project basically aims at conserving the bio-resources which are under stress or under threat.
He said that biodiversity has significant economic value that is both implicit and explicit and of these values are often not captured by the market. “Hence, the potential of biodiversity is often underestimated. Such an underestimation is considered as one of the factors for rapid depletion of biodiversity and loss of habitats and species,” MS stated.
“Valuation of biodiversity/ecosystem goods is a fundamental step towards determining the real value of bio-resources,” Sarmokadam said.
Staff and Technical participants from TSGs Vivekanand Environment Awareness Brigade (VEAB) Keri Sakhali (North Goa District) and Environment Conservation and Research Organization, Pale (South Goa District) along with GSBB experts are involved in documentation of the project.
The project report is expected to be released in the hands of Union Minister for Environment and Forest (MoEF) Anil Dave on the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22.

Team TNV